27 www.drivesncontrols.com November/December 2024 ELECTRIC MOTORS n Furthermore, the most powerful magnets typically use rare-earth elements (REEs) such as neodymium and dysprosium. These are both expensive and geo-politically sensitive, while REE mining and production is often not environmentally sustainable. Therefore, while staying open-minded about energy-ecient motor technologies, we believe that the magnet-free SynRM design currently oers the best combination of performance, sustainability, simplicity and service-friendliness. Externally, a SynRM motor looks similar to a traditional induction motor. Even the internal stator is traditional. The innovation is in the rotor, which is made from laminated iron layers that form a light, but solid, construction that allows magnetism to ow through it. The shape is designed to guide magnetic reluctance within the rotor. As a result, the rotor will align itself to the magnetic ux produced by the stator coils, essentially “locking” into position. This allows it to move at exactly the same speed as the magnetic ux – synchronously – hence the name, synchronous reluctance motor. SynRM motors must be paired with a matching VSD to operate. This package is the ideal upgrade, especially as the motors are the same frame size as equivalent IE3 induction motors, making it easy to replace legacy motors with modern, high-eciency products. Earlier this year, ABB become the world’s rst manufacturer to oer a magnet-free motor designed to comply with the anticipated IE6 standard. This was achieved by adopting more accurate tools that enabled us to design an IE6 SynRM by adjusting the combination of several motor parameters, such as length, grade of material, and windings. A key requirement was not to alter the frame size, thus ensuring that the new motor remains a drop-in alternative to an equivalent induction motor. Optimised TCO It is understandable that users are reluctant to make an additional investment in IE6 motors that meet an anticipated standard when an IE4 motor will comply with current European Union Ecodesign legislation. However, it is the role of our industry to give them all of the information they need to help them look beyond the upfront investment and to consider the total cost of ownership (TCO) of a motor. For an IE6 SynRM machine, the upfront cost is a typical average of around 2% of its TCO. Maintenance accounts for 1%, and the remaining 97% is spent on electricity. As a practical example, consider a 55kW motor application running for 6,500 hours a year at 75% power, on energy costing €0.2/kWh. In this scenario, upgrading from an IE3 motor and VSD package to an IE6 SynRM package yields annual cost savings of €1,772 and CO2 savings of 2,685kg. Over a service life of 25 years, this will deliver a total saving of €44,295, while eliminating 66,000kg of CO2. IE6 hyper-eciency motors are commercially available here and now, even while we wait for an ocial standard. For most industrial applications, magnet-free SynRM is a great all-round IE6 technology in terms of energy eciency, power density, compact size, resource usage and maintenance needs. n Motor buyers focus on total cost of ownership Motor buyers around the world regard total cost of ownership (TCO) as the most signicant factor when purchasing new electric motors, according to a new survey of nearly 2,400 businesses in 13 countries, carried out by ABB in collaboration with Sapio Research. A key nding was that 91% of the businesses said that energy eciency is now a critical inuence on their choice of electric motors. The survey also found that nearly all of the businesses (94%) are investing, or planning to invest, in sustainability initiatives, and especially in energy eciency. Most are aware of the role that energyecient motors can play in achieving their sustainability goals, with 91% saying that this inuences their choice. Nearly all also recognise that high-eciency motors can add value to their products and businesses. The main barriers preventing further investments in higheciency motors are the high upfront costs (especially for highturnover businesses), concerns around integrating them with existing systems, and potential disruption to production. Cost plays a role, both as a barrier and a driver, because of the investments needed for plant and equipment upgrades. But the survey reveals that 99% of businesses are now tracking longterm savings as the main ROI (return on investment) from their energy eciency initiatives. Another nding from the survey was that businesses are increasing their investment in innovative technologies to benet from digitalisation and e-commerce, with a focus on AI-driven technologies. Almost all of the companies surveyed (99%) believe that digitally connected motors oer added value – specically for their ability to provide predictive condition monitoring to enhance motor availability and safety. Motor suppliers are using data insights and remote monitoring to improve their oerings. An emerging trend is for end-users to emphasise sustainability, often due to pressure from their customers. This is being reected in increased investments in energy eciency. Some 88% of those surveyed consider it important for motor manufacturers to produce environmental product declarations (EPDs). “This survey provides a valuable insight into how businesses are prioritising energy eciency, not just to meet sustainability targets, but also to gain measurable nancial returns,” says Stefan Floeck, president of ABB Motion’s IEC lowvoltage motors division. “ABB is already playing a critical role in this development by demonstrating how investing in state-of-the-art energy-ecient electric motors, such as our IE6 SynRM technology, can enhance operational eciency and promote sustainable growth. With payback periods often measured in months rather than years, the result is a win-win for both the environment and the bottom line.” ABB points out that over the lifetime of a high-eciency motor, such as its SynRM (synchronous reluctance) machines, the cost of the electricity used far outweighs its initial purchase cost. The upfront cost will represent around 2% of its TCO, with maintenance accounting for 1%, and the remaining 97% being spent on electricity. The survey contacted nearly 2,400 businesses to gain insights into their attitudes to energy eciency, sustainability, digitalisation, and the role played by electric motors. The businesses were located in the UK, US, Germany, Italy, France, Australia, UAE, Japan, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, South Korea and India. The cost of electricity used to power high-eciency motors, such as ABB’s SynRM (synchronous reluctance) machines (shown above in an exploded view), during their operating lives, far outweigh their initial purchase costs.
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